The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-07-07

all 10 we'll for time, all shall be well for
ever. Blessed is that man who puts in
the Lord his trust. He shall never be con-
founded.
But my subject also inpresses me with
the fact that when people start to follow
Christ they must not expect smooth sail
ing.
These disciples got into the small boat,
and have no doubt they said:
"What o beautiful day this isl What a
smooth seat What a bright sky this is
How delightful is sailing in this boatl and
as for the waves under the keel Of the
boat, why they only make the motion of
our little boat the more delightful"
But when the winds swept down and
the sea was tossed into wrath, then they
found that following Christ was not
smooth sailing. So you have found it; so
/ have found it. Did you ever notice the
end Of the life of the apostles of Jesus
Christ? You would say that if ever men
ought to have smooth life, smooth de-
parture, then those men, the disciples of
Jesus Christ, ought to have had such a
departure and such life.
ST. James lost his head. st. Philip was
hung to death on a pillar. st. Matthew
had his life dashed out with halbert.
St Mark was dragged to death through
the Streets St. James the Less was
beaten to death with fuller's club. st.
Thomas was struck through with spear.
They did not find following Christ smooth
sailing. Oh, how they were all tossed in
the tempestl John Huss in the fire;
Hugh McKail IN the hour Of martyrd ON;
the Albigenses, the Waldenses, the
Scotch c0venauters-did they find it
smooth sailingl
But why 60 to history when / can come
into this audience to-day and find score
of illustrations Of the truth of this SUBJ
ject. That young man in the store try ing
to serve God, while his employer SCOTS at
Christianity; the young men in the same
store antagonistic to the Christian re-
ligion, teasing him, tormenting him about
his religion, trying to get him mad. They
succeed in getting him mad, saying:
you're apretty Chris tian."
Does this young man find it smooth sail
ing when he tries to follow Christi
Here is a Christian girl. Her father de-
spises the Christian religion; her mother
despises the Christian religion; her
brothers and sisters scoff at the Christian
religion; she can hardly find quiet
place in which to say her prayers. Did
to follow Jesus Christi
Oh, mol All who would live the life of
the Christian religion must suffer perse-
you will get it in another way. The ques-
tion was asked:
"Who are those nearest the thronea"
To this the answer came back:
''These are they who came up out of
frih lot An;1 -,
original has it; greatfailing, great pound
ing-''and had their robes washed and
made white in the blood Of the Lamb"
Oh, do not be disheartenedl Oh, child
Of God, take courageI You are in glo-
rious companionship. God will see you
through all these trials, and He will de-
liver you.
My subject also impresses me with the
fact that some people get very much
frightened.
In the tones of these disciples as they
rushed into the back plrt of the boat, /
find they are frightened almost to death.
They say:
Master, carest Thou not that we perishi
They had no reason to be frightened.
for Christ was in the boat. suppose if
we had been there we would have been
just as much frightened. Perhaps more.
In all ages very good people get very
much frightened. 1t is often so in our
day. and men say:
"Why, look at the bad lectures; look at
the Spiritualistic socie ties; look at the
various errors going over the Church OF
God; we are going to founder; the
Church is going to perish; she is going
down.
Oh, how many good people are alright
ed by iniquity in our day, and think the
church OF Jesus Christ is going to be over
thrown, and are just as much affrighted
as were the disciples of my text. Don't
worry, don't fret, though iniquity were
going to triumph over righteousness
A lion goes into a cavern to sleep. He
lies down, with his shaggy name
covering the paws. Meanwhile the
spiders spin web across the mouth of
the cavern, and saw:
1--WE have captured him."
Gossamer thread after goss amer thread
is spun until the whole front of the cav
ern is covered with the spiders web, and
the spiders say:
'sThe lion is done; the lion is fast.n
After awhile the lion has got through
sleeping; he rouses himself, he shakes
his m1ne, he walks out into the sunlight:
he does not even know the spiders web ia
spun, and with his voice he shakes the
mountain.
So men come spinning their sophistries
and skepticism about Jesus Christ. He
seems to be sleeping. They say:
1--WE have captured the Lord; he will
never come forth again upon the nation;
Christ is Captured forever. His religion
will never make any conquest among
men,
But after awhile the lion Of the Tribe of
Judah will rouse himself and come forth
to shake nightly the nation. WHAT'S a
SPIDERS web to the aroused liona Give
truth and error fair grapple, and truth
will come OF victor.
But there are great many good people
who get affrighted in other respects: thew
are affrighted in our day about revivals.
They say:
'AOa! this is a strong religious gale; we
are afraid the Church of God Is going to
be upset, and there are going to be a
great many people brought into the
church that are going to be OF no use to
it>n
They are affrighted whenever they see
a revival taking hold of the churches. AS
though ship captain with 500 bushels
OF wheat for cargo should say, some
day, coming upon deck: sThrow over
hoard all caron and the ao;Io,. .hzr,S